Product Description
Want to be a better bowler? Sport Psychology Library: Bowling - The Handbook of Bowling Psychology is the guide you need for improving your performance. Esteemed Sport psychologist Dr. Eric Lasser, and legendary coaches Fred Borden and Jeri Edwards, have combined their expertise to create a master teaching guide for beginner, intermediate, and advanced level bowlers. This book is designed to push any bowler to the highest level and enable professionals and elite amateurs to stay there.The Handbook is organized into five sections: preparation for competition, routines before and during competition, keys to peak performance, advanced strategies for tough challenges, and team and family dynamics. Each section details information and concerns most important to the bowler,providing techniques for self-evaluation and the development of specificpsychological strategies necessary for that sound mental game. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A Very Good Read!!!
I am still currently reading this book and it is very good!If you are a professional bowler or a league bowler this book is essential to build your mental game!It will get you through tough pressure situations and open your mind for things that you either have/have not experienced!I really recommend this book to anyone to kick their bowling up the extra notch!

Mental help for any bowler...
I found the book easy to read and understand. I have applied some of the things I read in the book and found them useful and I feel over time the new approach to bowling will improve to my good.

Great investment
When ever you buy a book containing psychology, you think to say "I knew that!", but this book pinpoints the essens of bowling psychology. I've focused on several things that for sure will make me a better bowler.

very helpful book
I purchased this book to help with my bowling, since as anovice bowler,
I was dismayed by my embarrassing performance when bowling with friends.
I would bowl a strike and then have a string of gutter balls.

I found this book really helpful, not just for bowling, but for achieving excellence
in other sports. I was able to apply the lessons to other challanging areas in my life.

The book gives a comphrehensive overview of this incredibly popular sport.The writers have laid out a step by step mental
plan of action that accounts for most contigencies and can used when someone has to psychologically prepare
onselfto perform at a high level.

The use of acronyms such as RALLY ( react, accept, learn, lean, yes )and the examples
of positive self talk particularly useful.

One of the best bowling books to date
I think this is one of the most up to date and detailed bowling books to date.It dives into the mental game aspect of the game and just helps you with the skills that most bowlers will need to take their game to the next level. ... Read more

Product Description

Are you "only as good as your last game"?

Is it really just a matter of "keeping your eye on the ball"?

Pure Sport: Practical Sport Psychology explains in everyday language the whys and wherefores of contemporary sport psychology – pinpointing what works and what doesn’t when it comes to performance enhancement.

As the title suggests, Pure Sport goes back to basics by highlighting practical concerns for those who are involved with competitive sport at every level – from junior club to international élite. Drawing on their considerable experience as both academic researchers and applied sport psychologists, the authors present a powerful array of techniques for channelling and harnessing mental skills with the goal of improving sporting performance. The interventions that they describe have all been tried and tested in competitive settings, but here, for the first time, the psychological techniques underlying them are brought together in a single volume that uniquely blends sound theory with good practice.

Liberally sprinkled with practical examples, evocative photographs and clear diagrams, Pure Sport is essential reading for anyone with an active involvement or interest in sport. It will help coaches, teams and sports people alike to develop their mental edge and so realise their true potential in sport and through sport.

Customer Reviews (1)

Easy reading
This is a good read, writted in plain language it offers an insight to this side of sport performance which i found easy to relate to. at times there is a bit too much anecdotal reference but still good !!
Kieran ... Read more

Product Description
With a common-sense approach to guiding kids in sports,this invaluable treasure map helps parents and coaches ensure thatchildren involved in athletics develop confidence both physically andpsychologically.It provides insight into today's youth sportingenviromnent from the standpoint of individual players as well asteams.Readers are presented with the evolution of children's sportsover the years and how this has impacted sporting opportunities today;strategies for motivating individual players, based on their stylesand personalities; the importance of team dynamics in positivelyinfluencing young players; opportunities during the typical sportsseason to help children improve; and ways to deal effectively withother adults and fans.Final chapters offer constructive techniquesto improve organized youth sports through positive adult guidance andsome powerful introspective considerations for all readers to helpdevelop a proper perspective of youth sports and life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Important Concept
This is a very important concept, to put kids sports into perspective because this is supposed to be a fun thing and often is unitl parents become too involved.Also recommended: Everything You Never Wanted To Know About Your Nonprofit Corporation by Ms. Cellaneous, The Unknown Attorney--about what happened in on kids nonprofit booster club, and tel1s how to recognize a child molester in your midst s well as how to form a nonprofit organization, etc.Both of these books have a similar purpose and both an do a good job, in my opinion in educating people about what to expect and what to happen and how to just keep things cool.

Warns against modern over-emphasis on winning
Ably written by a certified volunteer coach of 10 years' experience, Darrell Erickson's Molding Young Athletes is a practical guide for parents and coaches about balancing fun in youth sports with promoting positive team dynamics, fostering competitive spirit, and helping each team member become motivated and reach his or her full potential. A "user-friendly" guide that warns against modern over-emphasis on winning, and embraces the importance of helping kids learn and grow through sports, Molding Young Athletes should be mandatory reading for anyone who parents or coaches a boy or girl in any form of sports or athletic activity. ... Read more

Product Description

An athlete’s development from ‘ordinary’ talent to elite accomplishment in sport is a long one. The emergence and fine tuning of high level sport skills takes place in increments over many years and is a journey that fascinates sport scientists, sports coaches and sports fans alike.

Developing Sports Expertise, the first available textbook for undergraduates in sports skills development, examines the science behind sports skill acquisition and explores the application of science to optimal sports training, and talent identification. The text also contains Coaches Corner insets throughout to provide effective day-to-day advantage based on in the text.

Edited by three of the world’s leading scientists in sports skills acquisition and with contributions from both world class coaches and cutting edge researchers, this textbook provides comprehensive, authoritative guide to the field.

Product Description
"The game with yourself is often tougher than the battle against any opponent. Smart Tennis shows you how to win the inner match while having fun along the way."--Lindsay Davenport, world's #1 ranked player for 1998

Become a More Competent-and Confident-Tennis Player

Smart Tennis is the secret weapon that tucks right into your tennis bag. Apply these proven principles of sport psychology to your game and gain a winning advantage both on and off the courts.

"Smart Tennis is a must for players at all levels-from beginners to Wimbledon champions! An outstanding book for understanding and improving your mental game."--Vic Braden, tennis telecaster and researcher

"If you ever want to use the title of this book to describe how you played your last match, then Smart Tennisis for you."--David Higdon, senior writer,Tennis Magazine

"This is an excellent book of psychological skills that can be immediately applied on the tennis court."--E. Paul Roetert, Ph.D., Administration of Sports Science, United States Tennis Association

... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Just another generic self help book
After reading `Winning Ugly' this book was very disappointing. Writing is boring and repetitive. It feels like the author only wanted to point out his importance by constantly emphasizing it. His idea would fit on several pages and really didn't need the entire book.

Smart Tennis Can Win More Games
"Smart Tennis" is the solution for tennis players that have peaked at their game and can't seem to win the crucial points and matches, but have the physical capability to be a great player.Do you choke when down 0-40 in a game, or lose the tiebreaker after working hard to tie at 6-6?If so, "Smart Tennis" is for you.

I played a lot of tennis when I was younger, estimated at a 4.0 player, from age 30 - 35.Then, I took a short-term sabbatical because of long work hours, hanging up my tennis cap for five years.After selling my company at age 40, I retired and returned to tennis.However, I was shocked that tennis lessons weren't doing an adequate job.I became increasingly frustrated that my level of play was closer to 3.0 as I had too many unforced errors.I continuously beat myself up for being so incompetent.I seemed to be getting worse every lesson.So, I doubled my tennis lessons to two 2-hour sessions a week.Unfortunately, I performed no better six weeks later.I had the physical capabilities, but my mental game had fallen apart.I would repeat drills over and over wondering why I couldn't get the most simple techniques nailed down.

Prior to the Christmas holiday, I bought "Smart Tennis" and read it during my trip visiting friends and family.When I returned, I couldn't wait to implement the new lessons on the "mental" game.When I started reading the first chapter, I was amazed that all of the symptoms were very familiar, so I read "Smart Tennis" with great interest.

When I returned home, I played a colleague.In a recent ladder, I lost my match with this colleague, a score of 4-6, 3-6.I had too many unforced errors.When the ladder ended, the colleague and I began playing weekly.For the past few months, we have consistently split sets.However, since reading "Smart Tennis" I have dominated the past two outings: 1) 6-2, 6-3 and 2) 6-2, 7-6 and 6-1.

The colleague has been shocked that my level of play has changed so dramatically.I explained that "Smart Tennis" has revolutionalized my game, giving me the mental fitness to hit more winning shots and significantly reducing my unforced errors.The chapters on Attention Control and Imagery have made a profound difference in my tennis game.

As a good sport, I am also buying my colleague "Smart Tennis".Although I'll lose my great advantage, I can't resist sharing this great knowledge with a good buddy."Smart Tennis" is a must for anyone interested in improving their tennis game.

A must-read for tennis players and coaches
Dr. Murray gets it...this wonderful book is not only easy to read and informative, but small enough that it can be carried around in your tennis bag, backpack or briefcase. I highly recommend this book!

Ed Tseng
Pro of the Year USTA/NJD 2005
Peak Performance Expert
Author of "Game. Set. Life. - Peak Performance for Sports and Life"

Daily motivational messages: http://www.edtseng.com

This is a great book
Whether you be a beginner, a recreational player, of any age, or a professional tennis player this is a book people at all levels of ability will want to read.It is a great book for anyone who likes to play tennis.Dr. Murray writes very well and his insights on the mental aspects of the game, which are so important, will help all of us play better tennis.

Mental equipment is truly important
Mr. Murray does an excellent job of proving that "mental equipment" is helpful and beneficial to your game. I truly believe that you can't operate to your fullest physically without aid from the mental side of the game. The only thing that I was less than satisfied with is that he dedicates majority of his book to illustrate how mental equipment is important, but offers little assistance in improving your mental equipment. He uses excellent examples and truly illustrates his point clearly and directly. As for tips on how to improve your mental equipment, he has only offered about 1-2 pages worth of advice. For example, he spends 32 out of 34 pages of the chapter on attentional control, explaining the different types of attentional control, the problems with attention (such as:excessive stress, choking, etc.), and also explains how having selective attention and concentration is highly useful. He goes on to tell you the optimal effects of stress on attention. The only problem with all this is that after illustrating all the problems, and explaining where you need to be in terms of attention control, he offeres little advice to explain how to achieve the optimal attention control. In fact, only 2 pages out of 34 were actual advice on how to improve attention control and find that state of effortless effort commonly called the "zone" by tennis players. But, one must give Mr. Murray credit for writing a book on the mental game as very few books are written on this subject effectively. Afterall, isn't the human mind very complex? My suggestion is to buy the book if you want to learn about his philosophy on the mental game of tennis, but if you want advice on how to improve the mental game, then you might be slightly disappointed unless your satisfied with the 2 pages of every chapter dedicated to specific tips for improving. ... Read more

Product Description
This user-friendly manual focuses on the physical and the mental skills needed to handle challenging tennis situations with a cool head and a winning strategy. Specifically the book addresses such crucial mental skills as building confidence managing anxiety improving concentration working with your partner(s) and more. Each chapter includes drills visualizations and exercises that will help the reader enhance game performance and enjoyment. Anyone who loves the unique mental intensity of tennis will enjoy this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

WEAK and generic
I was looking for some solid ideas to take my game to the next level.I am kind of in a rut and trying to get back up to USTA 4.5I thought this book might have some good tips but it is watered down info more suited to beginning players.I was disappointed.I didn't get much out of it.

This book is a winner!
This is a great starting point for any tennis enthusiast who wants to improve his/her game.The book is very quick read, yet is packed with basic, easy to use tips to help understand and utilize sport psychologytechniques. ... Read more

Product Description
Closing the Gap: Applied Sport Psychology for High School is the first sport psych textbook and curriculum intended for a high school audience. This Curriculum Guide contains curriculum planning guides, pedagogical considerations, tests and quizzes for each unit and lesson, and more.

You can buy any version of the book at my storefront by clicking on my name above or going to http://stores.lulu.com/drockYou should also visit the book's website for additional instructional resources at www.SportPsychSchool.com ... Read more

Product Description
THE WINNING EDGE IS MENTAL. If you've ever watched a champion make that impossible three-point shot in the game's final seconds, you know that mental skills are absolutely critical to all-around success, on and off the court.

No one understands this better than coaching legend Dale Brown and renowned sport consultant Dr. Kevin Burke, the co-authors of Sport Psychology Library: Basketball. Together, they share their expertise and techniques to bring the mental aspect of the game under every player's control. They stress preparation, practice, and performance in attaining these vital psychological skills:

CONCENTRATION
TEAMWORK
RELAXATION
CONFIDENCE
STRONG ETHICS AND FAIR PLAY

Sport Psychology Library: Basketball gives players the tools to improve their mental game plan; a way for coaches to teach successful psychology techniques; and a way for parents to be supportive and involved in a player's development. ... Read more

Product Description
Taking a refreshingly different approach to the subject, this new textbook uses original case studies of psychological support work with individual athletes and groups to illustrate the underlying theory and inform the reader of cutting edge practice in the field. It addresses ‘real world’ issues and helps the student understand the problems and challenges that the sport psychologist faces and is employed to resolve.

The book begins by exploring the use of case studies as a professional method for disseminating applied knowledge and practice in sport psychology. The remaining chapters constitute the core of the book: the case studies themselves. Each case study demonstrates scientific rigour in reporting the background information, initial assessment, intervention and monitoring, evaluation of the intervention, and also considers consultant effectiveness through reflective practice. The chapters also contain summaries and an accompanying set of questions for students.

Written by a team of experienced practitioners this book shows how sport psychology actually works in practice. As such it will prove invaluable to students of sport psychology in both sport and exercise science and psychology programmes. It will also be an extremely useful resource for coaches and sports professionals undergoing training in sport psychology.

  ... Read more

Product Description
Text presents the fundamentals of sports mechanics in a format that's easy to understand and apply; showing how to observe, analyze, and correct sport technique for a better performance. Serves as the text for the American Sport Education Program (ASEP) Silver Level course, Sports Mechanics for Coaches. Previous edition: c1997. Softcover. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
A practical handbook for sports psychologists that outlines the most effective interventions for athletes across a variety of sports.

Customer Reviews (4)

The Sport Psychologist's Handbook : A Guide for Sport Specific Performance Enhancement
With this book, I also had purchased the "Test Youe EQ : Find Out How Emotionally Intelligent You Really Are" and the "Counselling Athletes : Applying Reversal Theory".

Actually these books have been used by my son who are doing his Master Degree in the Psychology in Thailand (a small country in Southeast Asia). His aim is to go through the Sport Psychology Knowhow which is nothing in our Thailand at present. Not too many people know about what the Sport Psychology can do to their Emotional Enhancement and sports.

I had asked my son on what he get from these books, he told me that;

"Dear dad, all I can say is all the books are great and very useful. They become my bible for what I'm doing right now."

One thing I observe from my son is he is better in controlling his emotion and love his subject of "Psychology" much more than I have
expected before he entered this course. These books may contribute a great assistance to widenning his eyes and also his metal thinking.

Thank you for the writers, at least with your books, you help me guide a man to go for his dream. Thanks

DanaiBualert.....7/9/2007

very applied sp book
The Sport Psychologist's Handbook is an applied Manual. I have started to work in the applied field, and it's very useful.. I recommend it too.

practical book
I have reviewed this book, and it's very practical...It's the first book to describe several interventions with specific teams and athletes (ice hockey, basketball, motorcycling, golf...). The Sport Psychologit's Handbookis an autentic Encyclopedia of applied sport psychologist!!!!!

an applied sport psychology book
This book is divided in two parts: 1. An overview of applied sport psychology (intervention with coaches, family, athlete, etc.), and 2. Consulting with specific sports (basket, soccer, ice hockey, cricket, handball, gymnastic, athletics, tennis, golf, rowing, figure skating... and more and more...). The Sport Psychologist's Handbook is a must have practical manual for applied sport psychologist, athletes, and coaches... The contributors are well-know sport psychogist, and they have experience consulting in different sports.
Definitly, I recommend this book if you are a sport psychologist... ... Read more

Product Description
Sports today seems all to often to be poisoned by greed, incivility, and violence. Part philosophy, part poetry, part common sense, The Tao Of Sports is a spiritual roadmap to self-discovery and to understanding the great paradoxes of sports, athletics, and the Game: defeat and joy, struggle and serenity, anarchy and peace, fear and confidence. Witty, passionate, and thoughtful, The Tao Of Sports is a Zen guide, a coaching manual, an athlete's playbook, and a very engaging, informative reading for any fan who ever rooted for a player or a team. ... Read more

Product Description
This new edition provides students with a solid foundation in the concepts of sport and exercise psychology and their application in exercise and sport settings. New texts now come packaged with "PowerWeb: Health & Human Performance!". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Clean packaging and shipping. new as stated.
Delivered ontime. Was shipped and packed well to preserve the state of the book. And was brand new like was mentioned and was supposed to be.

Educational book worth the read
This Sport Psych book was great. I minored in Sport and Exercise Psychology in undergraduate school and this book had a lot of useful information in it. My professor was great at teaching but the book was a good supplement. The diagrams and tables are easy to understand in this book and help piece the information together. This book covers a lot of different areas and I found them very useful.

Excellent Sport Psychology Text!
I use this text in an on-line undergraduate sport psychology course. Cox does a very good job of presenting research and application aspects of sport and exercise psychology. Students enjoy this easy-to-read text. ... Read more

Product Description
This step-by-step training program contains the latest on mind-body performance to help you achieve major breakthroughs in sports, business, health, and life. Hundreds of practical tools and tips on focusing, building confidence, handling slumps, and overcoming performance anxiety. Includes over 50 proven training exercises. This book is receiving substantial national media attention with articles and excerpts on ABC-TV, NBC, and in USA Today, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Time magazine, Prevention magazine, Runner s World, Triathlete Magazine, and San Francisco Examiner. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Good book, but could have been shorter
Basicly this is a very good book about how the human mind of an athlete is copingwith all kinds of situations, fears and what to do to change one's mind.I loved to read it but it could have been much shorter.More to the point.

Your Performing Edge - 5 Star Review
Your Performing Edge, the new 4th edition is absolutely the best resource I've ever come across for creating success in my personal and professional life. I use it for my sports training and for my professional development in my business. I also use the Your Performing Edge Comprehensive Learning System, a 12-CD set, which is a great companion to the book, with visualization exercises, a workbook, and hundreds of tools for performing my best.
I love the Free ,Mini Ecourse that Dr. JoAnn created on her website,
www.sports-psych.com
Lots of great tools, insights and ideas for my training - a great resource that I use every day. Thanks.

Psychology + Sports = Improvement
If you improve your mental performance, you will improve your physical performance,This book will show you how to start with your mental outlook and go from there.

Great read!
This is one of the best books I have read.It is a psychology book with a sports theme.Loved it!!!

Your Performing Edge
Your Performing Edge is quite simply the best book i have ever read on the subject of improving mental performance. I am a keen amateur golfer with a 4 handicap and a great natural athelete. Like everyone, i was searching for that "miracle" to help me break through the next barrier - my mind. I have read and studied a number of other books and programs about improving mental performance. While many gave you the answers to "what" you need to do, none gave you the answers to "how" to improve. Dr. JoAnn Dalkoetters insights, lessons and tips are the most valuable resource ever produced on the subject. Combine this book with her Personal Coaching Program and you have, what i consider to be, the most powerful program available. I am now playing the golf i have always dreamed of. Your Performing Edge is a must read for anyone seriously considering improving their mental approach to atheletics, life, business or otherwise. ... Read more

Product Description
Sport and exercise are now recognized as valuable therapeutic elements in treatment and rehabilitative settings. Chronic disorders, in particular, have shown themselves responsive to well designed programs of sport and exercise. Medical and Psychological Aspects of Sport and Exercise draws attention to the clinically significant interactions between psychological and physiological systems, and the role of sport and exercise in dealing with cardiac, respiratory, and sundry nervous system, immune system, and endocrine disorders. The book responds to an urgent need expressed by many primary care physicians, health psychologists, sport psychologists, and other educators and clinicians in medicine and allied health specialties. It is the first book to address the issues from the fields of science, scholarship, and clinical practice and place them in a single volume with the participation of truly eminent authors in the respective areas. ... Read more

Product Description

Instant Notes in Sport and Exercise Psychology provides concise coverage of sport and exercise psychology at the undergraduate level, and also covers the crucial basic psychology that underpins the subject. It has four main themes:

• theoretical approaches and research methods
• sport psychology at both the individual and group level of analysis
• exercise psychology
• practical applications including performance enhancement and ethics.

Suitable for students in sport and exercise science, sport psychology, sport studies and sports management, it will be useful for coaches and athletes who wish to gain an up-to-date understanding of the key concepts, theories and research in this area.

Product Description
Our ancient ancestors believed that sports were a gift of the gods—that they were potent rituals, which, if performed correctly, would placate unseen powers, honor departed heroes, or improve the harvests. Today, sports still speak to deep yearnings, imaginings, and the irreducible need people feel to resonate with themselves and their world. But the hidden meaning, or "secret life," that lies at the heart of sports and gives them their force and magic goes largely unnoticed. The old baseball hand Wes Westrum once said, "Baseball is like church. Many attend, but few understand"—and the same could be said for sports in general.

In Playing in the Zone, Andrew Cooper explores this inner dimension of sports, drawing on mythology, the history of religion, his observations on popular culture, and a wonderful array of stories and anecdotes about the world's most accomplished athletes.

The author—a clinical psychologist and longtime Zen student—compares the intense focus of the mind that is often required in spiritual practice with the experience of "playing in the zone"—that quality of mind where the most remarkable athletic feats seem to occur effortlessly. He explores the "dark side" of sports, its brutality and violence, showing how it can also provide fertile ground for self-awareness and self-transformation. Particularly insightful is the author's discussion of how the heightened drama of sports offers a powerful vehicle for the expression of mythic imagery and symbols in popular culture.Amazon.com Review
It's so easy to be enthralled by the razzle-dazzle outwardphysicality of our games that we tend to miss their metaphysical innerunderpinnings. It's this spiritual dimension--sport's "secretlife"--that so attracts Cooper; his exploration results in apenetrating meditation.

Using former journeyman catcher WesWestrum's observation--"Baseball is like church. Many attend, but fewunderstand"--Cooper aims to initiate the many into that realm of thefew. His is an extended riff into the whys and hows of the ways "webecome so absorbed in the task at hand that the self is forgotten andexperience is displayed in its primal power and pristine clarity."Drawing on both Eastern and Western philosophies and religions, hedives into questions of why we play the games we do, how they reflectour myths, and how through inspiration, belief, and focus athletessuch as Ali, Dr. J., and Joe DiMaggio rise to new levels, reaching,quite literally, states of grace. Cooper's treatise may be short, butit is rich and it is winning. It answers questions. Even better, itsanswers inspire more questions. --Jeff Silverman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

More academic than practical - and that's okay!
The other reviewers are correct that this book does not delve much into the practical aspects of how to achieve more flow experiences in your sport. I wouldn't use that criticism to say that this is not a good book. It is a great book for what it is: an academic and philosophical study of the flow experience in sports, its characteristics, its cultural meanings, etc. This is definitely not the ideal book for an athlete looking to learn more about flow. Rather, it is more geared for the person who want a deeper and overall analysis of what flow means in sport, in society, and in history. As with many books on this topic, I found the book to be fascinating in some areas but rather dry and boring in others. But definitely a good book for any research on flow.

Being there
Mr Cooper has written an insightful book which transcends both sports and Buddhism, while touching on both.It seems that at times in his own life, he has actually been "there" in a sports setting himself.Without being pedantic, he provides the reader with his insight.

If you only have time to read one book, don't pick this one
Playing in the Zone : Exploring the Spiritual Dimensions of Sports by Andrew Cooper is a mediocre book about an excellent topic.Throughout the book I kept wondering whether Mr. Cooper was worthy of his topic.He identifies the zone and justifies its worthiness.His notes on his zen experiences are unexpectedly insightful.But overall he appears to be on the outside of his topic, looking in.His book may prepare you better to be a spectator than to maximize your personal zone activites.This book is good for folks who are not quite true believers in the title I guess.But for those of us looking for advanced classes, we might as well keep on looking because Mr. Cooper offers very little beyond the basics.If he writes another book to expand on his further studies of the zone, I would be willing to give the first couple chapters a try.

Playing in the Zone
Maybe the best thing you can say about a book is that you can't hold on to it. That has certainly been my experience with this one. Each time I buy a new copy for myself, I remember a friend or relative or writing student whoI know must have it. And not just jocks and fans. I sent a copy to mybaseball-loving step dad and got a call raving about it from mysports-hating, arts-loving mom. As in much of the best nonfictionwriting, by delving deeply into a particular subject the author hits uponthemes and insights that are universal. Cooper's appreciation of athleticcraft also tells much about spiritual experience, the mythic mind, thenature of the self, and other matters of primary concern. This isnot a how-to, inner game, or Zen-of-sports book. It is an exploration ofmeaning in something so near at hand that we take it for granted. You'll besurprised at what you find.

The book is empty!
The whole book is just an introduction to the subject of the "zone."Someone that read the book will not learn anything other then there is something called the "zone." And also, I was amazedthat there was no reference to Dr John Douillard's book: "Body, mindand sport."Although at the time I read Dr Douillard's book I thoughtit did have too many testimonies and not enough references to researchworks.Despite it, people interested in the "zone" (for exampleexperiencing it) would be better off reading Dr Douillard's book. ... Read more

Product Description
Psychological Dynamics of Sport and Exercise, Third Edition, reflects the latest developments in the field of sport and exercise psychology and presents various applications in a range of physical activity settings. The text emphasizes practical theory, which allows students, teachers, personal trainers, consultants, athletic trainers, and other professionals to enhance sport and exercise experiences for all based on the best available knowledge in the field. By using practical theory, readers can incorporate the basic skills of sport and exercise psychology into both their professional and personal experiences.

Psychological Dynamics of Sport and Exercise, Third Edition, builds on information presented in previous editions with revised content and new research that is more relevant to current practice. Emphasis is placed on sport and exercise psychology concepts as they apply to three key areas of sport science professions: physical education teaching and coaching; exercise instruction and fitness leadership; and sports medicine, rehabilitation, and athletic training. By focusing on these settings, readers will understand how psychology concepts are integral to real-world situations outside of the classroom.

Through this text, sport and exercise psychology will come alive for students as they prepare for their professional lives. This new edition encourages learning with the following features:

• Expanded sections on cognitive skills, participation motivation, emotion, and cultural diversity that emphasize recent areas of interest in sport and exercise psychology
  
• Updated references throughout the book that are designed to keep readers on top of a fast-growing field
  
• New case studies at the end of each chapter that allow students to immediately apply the content in real-world coaching, physical education, fitness instruction, and sport rehabilitation settings
  
• Distinct key points and application boxes that will help students tie theory with professional practice
  
• Chapter summaries, review questions, and annotated recommended readings that aid comprehension of material and direct students to additional resources

Customer Reviews (2)

College Text Book
I purchased this for my youngest daughter for one of her college courses.It's the same book the campus bookstore sells but alot cheaper. Arrived very quickly. We'll be purchasing as many textbooks that she'll need over the next 4 years thru Amazon and save a bundle. Only wish we knew about this with our first two children!!

not bad for a text book
i used this book for my sports psychology class in college.for a topic that is so interesting, i found the book to be pretty dry compared with some of the other handouts we were given to read.i would not recommend it for personal reading, but as a textbook it isn't that bad ... Read more

Product Description
Overtraining Athletes: Personal Journeys in Sport seeks to communicate the complex subject of overtraining to help athletes, coaches, parents, and sport science professionals understand the dangers of overtraining and take steps toward prevention. Using history and research, current experts' perspectives, and athletes' personal experiences, Overtraining Athletes identifies forces that push athletes to overtrain by sharing the struggles of those athletes and the sport professionals who seek to help them.

The text employs a nonlinear structure, allowing the flexibility to sample chapters from each of its four parts based on interest and level of knowledge about the topic. By presenting the phenomenon of overtraining from a variety of perspectives and with varying degrees of technicality, the book engages a wide range of readers while presenting significant research and studies in the area. Each of the four parts of the text displays a distinct method for discovering how overtraining affects athletes, coaches, parents, and professionals.

Part I begins with a review of research examining aspects of overtraining, including prevalence, physiological and psychological manifestations, and outcomes. It concludes by discussing risk factors that increase the probability of overtraining. In part II coaches' and sport scientists' views on overtraining risk factors are presented. The authors interviewed 14 experts from major sport organizations in Australia to glean their perspectives on the possible variables associated with overtraining. With the perspectives of these experts, readers may identify the characteristics, behaviors, and experiences of susceptible athletes, as well as the situations, factors, sport cultures, and people that both pressure athletes to increase their training and affect athletes' needs for recovery.

In part III the focus turns to the experiences of the athletes. Drawing on interviews from 13 athletes with identified histories of chronic overtraining, the authors present three aggregate case studies:

• A professional footballer influenced by economic forces, internalized clichéd slogans, tough sport cultures, and traditional abusive practices
  
• A triathlete obsessed with the pursuit of the Olympic gold
  
• A young gymnast-turned-cyclist pressured by abusive coaches and an overinvolved parent